What is web mention?

 

Webmention is a web protocol and standard that enables websites to notify each other when they have been mentioned or linked to. It allows for a decentralized and interoperable method of communication between websites. In simpler terms, webmention is a way for websites to interact and track mentions or links from other websites.

When a website mentions or links to another website that supports webmentions, it sends a notification or "mention" to the mentioned website. The mentioned website can then choose to display or process these mentions in various ways, such as showing them as comments or references on their pages.

Webmention operates on the principles of the IndieWeb movement, which aims to create a more decentralized and people-centric web. It promotes the idea that individuals should have control over their online presence and data, and that websites should communicate and interact with each other in a distributed manner.

The webmention protocol uses simple HTTP requests to transmit information between websites. It relies on two main components:

Sender: The website that initiates the webmention by mentioning or linking to another website. The sender creates an HTTP request containing information about the mention, such as the source URL and the target URL (the URL being mentioned).

Receiver: The website that receives the webmention and processes it. The receiver verifies the validity of the webmention, checks if the mention is relevant and trustworthy, and decides how to handle it. The receiver may choose to display the mention, use it for statistical analysis, or take other actions based on its own implementation.

Webmentions can be used for various purposes, such as enabling cross-site conversations, tracking backlinks, aggregating comments or reactions, and building a more interconnected web. They provide a decentralized alternative to centralized social media platforms for website interaction and engagement.

To implement webmentions on a website, developers can use existing libraries or frameworks that support the webmention protocol. These libraries handle the sending and receiving of webmentions, simplifying the integration process.

 

Overall, webmention is a mechanism that fosters website-to-website communication and helps create a more interconnected and collaborative web ecosystem.